A sapling grown from the seed of a tree that survived the atomic blast at Hiroshima has been planted at Cornwall Council’s headquarters as a symbol of peace.
The young ginkgo tree is one of six to be planted in public gardens across the Duchy as part of a global project.
Representatives of Japanese local authorities and mayors of various Cornish towns attended a special ceremony on the grounds of Lys Kernow (New County Hall) on Tuesday, November 18.
It was led by Cllr Rob Nolan, Chair of Cornwall Council, as well as Cllr Hilary Frank, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Schools.
Cllr Frank, a fluent speaker of Japanese, was joined by her husband, Shojiro, whose family comes from Hiroshima.
She said: “Long after this year is over, these six ginkgo trees will keep growing, tended by the Cornish rain and reaching towards the light. They will remind us that peace, like a tree, begins with care and patience, and that the smallest act, rooted in hope, can grow into something far greater than we ever imagine.”
The project began five years ago when gardener Sam Nicholls, who was working at Penmount Crematorium for Cornwall Council, came across an article about a ginkgo tree that had stood close to the epicentre of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.
The tree was scorched and thought to be dead but when spring came in 1946, new buds pushed through the charred bark and, against all the odds, it survived.
That one tree became a living emblem of endurance and hope, a reminder that life and peace can take root even in the aftermath of devastation.
When Sam read that Hiroshima City was offering to send seeds taken from this tree, he wrote to ask for some for Cornwall.
The reply came with a condition: the seeds were being shared only with local authorities that were members of Mayors for Peace, an international movement founded by the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and recognised by the United Nations. Today, more than 8,000 local authorities in over 160 countries are part of this global network, working together to promote peace and foster resilient communities.
In December 2020, Cornwall Council joined Mayors for Peace, the seeds were sent from Hiroshima, and Sam began the job of nurturing them.
Fast forward five years and the saplings now take pride of place at Fox Rose Hill Gardens, Trewithen Gardens, Trebah Gardens, The Eden Project and Pencarrow House and Gardens, as well as New County Hall.
Cllr Frank said: “It was incredibly moving to be part of the ceremony at Lys Kernow, especially seeing Sam there as the first of his saplings took root in Cornish ground.
“The timing feels very fitting. This year marks 80 years since the bombing of Hiroshima, and November marks the first anniversary of Cornwall’s Faith Covenant, a joint commitment between Cornwall Council and our faith communities to work together.
“Cornwall was the first rural authority in the country to adopt a covenant like this, and it brings together members of the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish and Pagan faiths, along with representatives from the Humanist community. It’s a partnership that celebrates diversity and grows through trust, understanding and care, mirroring the patient growth of the ginkgo trees now taking root across Cornwall.”